The U.S. Green Building Council recently announced the 13 recipients of grants totaling $2 million. After identifying an alarming dearth of research in the field of sustainable design and construction, the USGBC created the Green Building grant program to further the development of sustainable building practices and increase green market share. The grants range from $90,000 to $250,000.

Speaking of the winning proposals, USGBC president Rick Fedrizzi said that they “drive knowledge, policies, tools, and technologies and inspire corresponding industry and government-wide action.” The field of contenders was competitive and diverse, with 216 pre-proposals and 38 full proposals.